Man in custody after shots fired in Tustin

SWAT members sit on the grids of an Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopter that landed in the middle of Red Hill Avenue to pick them up. The helicopter is lifting off to join the search for a man who reportedly had a gun in Tustin.BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

TUSTIN – Shots were fired when a police officer confronted a man reportedly seen walking with a sawed-off shotgun near an apartment complex Thursday morning, officials said, prompting a “soft lockdown” of 10 nearby schools for more than four hours.

The man fled from officers after the shooting, officials said, sparking a search through several nearby apartment buildings. He was taken into custody before 2 p.m., uninjured, said Sgt. Andrew Birozy of the Tustin Police Department. The school lockdown was lifted after the man was taken into custody.

He was identified as Henry Justin Herrera, a 20-year-old Tustin resident. He was taken into custody after a resident reported seeing him in the area, Police Chief Charles Celano said. Officers responded and ordered Herrera to get on the ground.

No weapon has been recovered, Celano said.

The shooting was reported near Nisson Road and Red Hill Avenue, a busy area surrounded by shops, homes and apartment buildings. It was not clear who fired, and police did not immediately disclose other details of the shooting.

“This is a very populated area,” said Celano said. “We have businesses and children walking around.”

No officers were hurt, Birozy said.

Herrera was taken into custody on suspicion of brandishing a weapon. According to court records, he was arrested earlier this year on burglary charges, pleaded guilty to the charges in February and was sentenced to 60 days in jail.

The shooting occurred about 9 a.m., after witnesses reported seeing an armed man in the area, Birozy said. Officers saw the man running toward an area of two-story apartment buildings in the 1600 block of Nisson Road.

Tustin officers set up a perimeter and shut down Red Hill from Nisson to Mitchell Avenue as they searched for the man, Birozy said. By noon, Red Hill was open to traffic. Nisson Road remained shut down from Red Hill to Browning Avenue until 2 p.m.

Harry Flores, a resident in the apartment buildings where police were searching, said he heard several pops Thursday morning but did not think they were gunshots. He left to run errands and returned to find heavily armed officers canvassing his neighborhood and helicopters overhead.

His wife and son were still in the building, he said. They told him they could hear officers yelling in the area, asking someone to surrender to officers.

Neighboring law-enforcement agencies were called to assist in the search, Birozy said, including Irvine police and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Seven schools in the Tustin Unified School School District were placed on a “soft lockdown” as a precaution, said Mark Eliot, spokesman for the district. Students were asked to remain in classrooms, and outdoor activity was being limited.

After the soft lockdown was lifted, kids were released as normal after school. Sports activities continued as planned. The district sent out a phone and email message to parents letting them know what happened and that it was all clear. The schools locked down in the Tustin district were Lambert Elementary, Tustin High, Beswick Elementary, Veeh Elementary, Nelson Elementary, Utt Middle School and Currie Middle School.

St. Cecilia Catholic school and Calvary Christian School, both of which have preschool through eighth grade, were also locked down, officials with the schools said. Edgewood PrePrimary Academy, which has preprimary to kindergarten students, was also on lockdown, a school officials said.

Red Hill Lutheran School, kindergarten through eight grade, was not on lockdown, but outside activities were stopped as a precaution.

“There was never any threat to the schools, but some schools in the immediate area were put on soft lockdown,” Eliot said. “We’re thankful our school staff as well as police department for handling the situation safely and effectively.”

SWAT members sit on the grids of an Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopter that landed in the middle of Red Hill Avenue to pick them up. The helicopter is lifting off to join the search for a man who reportedly had a gun in Tustin. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Photo of Henry Justin Herrera provided by Tustin police. Herrera was taken into custody by police early Thursday afternoon. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
SWAT members ride on the outside of an Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopter as it circles above a Tustin neighborhood where police were searching for a man seen with a gun Thursday morning. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Tustin Police SWAT team members return to the command post after taking part in the search for Henry Justin Herrera, who was suspected of brandishing a weapon earlier in the day in Tustin in the area of Red Hill and Nisson. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Tustin Police Chief Charles Celano talks to the media Thursday afternoon next to a photo of Henry Justin Herrera, the man who was suspected of brandishing a weapon. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A father and son are evacuated from their apartment as police look for a man reportedly seen walking with a sawed-off shotgun. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A woman points to where she thinks a man is hiding. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Officers rush into a complex when a resident thought she saw a suspect. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A woman argues with an officer as she tries get to her building. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A SWAT team from Irvine pulls up and unloads. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
As a resident watches, the Irvine SWAT team enters a complex on Mitchell Ave. in Tustin. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A couple crosses the street as Orange County Sheriff's deputy Hylton stands his post on Mitchell Ave. Thursday. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A resident is asked to open her car's trunk during the search. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
SWAT members sit on the grids of an Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopter as it orbits the scene looking for a man reportedly seen walking with a sawed-off shotgun. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A deputy checks a car's trunk as police look for a man reportedly seen walking with a sawed-off shotgun near a Tustin apartment complex Thursday morning. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Orange County Sheriff's deputy Hylton checks a driver's trunk. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
As police look for a man reportedly seen walking with a sawed-off shotgun near a Tustin apartment complex Thursday morning, resident Albert Colarines, right, watches an Orange County Sheriff's helicopter fly by as he and Norman Ibarra make calls. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A Tustin police officer walks on top of a parking structure as he watches the perimeter of the search area where a man was being sought for shooting at police officers. The search lasted for several hours and caused several local schools to be locked down. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Shots were fired when police officers confronted a man who reportedly was seen walking with a sawed-off shotgun Thursday morning, officials said. Here, near Red Hill Avenue, a Tustin police officer watches the perimeter of the scene as officers tried to find the man. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The shooting was reported near Nisson Road and Red Hill Avenue, said Sgt. Andrew Birozy, a busy area surrounded by shops, homes and apartment buildings. Nisson Road was closed to all traffic at Red Hill. Tustin officers set up a perimeter and shut down Red Hill, from Nisson to Mitchell Avenue, as they searched for the man. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Shots were fired when police officers confronted a man who reportedly was seen walking with a sawed-off shotgun Thursday morning, officials said. As the Irvine police SWAT vehicle races away from a staging area on Red Hill Avenue, a SWAT officer tries unsuccessfully to catch up and jump on. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Irvine Police SWAT vehicle races away from a staging area on Red Hill Avenue in Tustin during the search for a man seen with a gun. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
SWAT officers suit up on Red Hill Avenue near Nisson Road. Tustin officers have set up a perimeter and shut down Red Hill, from Nisson to Mitchell Avenue, as they search for a man seen with a gun. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Shots were fired when police officers confronted a man who was reportedly seen walking with a sawed-off shotgun Thursday morning. One of two Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopters lifts off after both landed on Red Hill Avenue near the command post to help in the search for the man after he fled. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A pigeon tries to get out of the way as an Orange County sheriff's helicopter descends to land on Red Hill Avenue near the command center of a search for a man who was thought to have a gun. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
SWAT officers hold on to the sides of the Newport Beach Police Department SWAT vehicle as it waits at Red Hill Avenue and Nisson Road to enter the search area for a man who exchanged gunfire with police officers Thursday morning. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Tustin Police SWAT team members return to the command post after suspect Henry Justin Herrera was taken into custody Thursday afternoon in an apartment complex near Red Hill and Nisson in Tustin. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A California Highway Patrol helicopter joins the search in Tustin for a man who was thought to have a gun. BRUCE CHAMBERS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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